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Congrats!! This months’ awesome music discoveries! 

Thank you to The Ark of Music!!!

View this email in your browser Rolling into April with Great New Indie Music! We’re getting into the busy season here at The Ark, which means we have a ton of great new music to introduce you to this month! From music-comedy hybrids to hard-hitting rap, as usual we’ve got a little something for every musical palatte. Happy listening! -The Ark of Music Team (P.S., You can check out our past issues, HERE.) Brian Cooney – Nothing Greater Just this past January we got our hands on singer-songwriter Brian Cooney’s latest single, a special edition of his modern, anthemic piano ballad Nothing Greater, released on Bongo Boy Records. This month he’s back with a full-length project of the [Click here to open…] GENRE:  AMERICANA, FAITH, SINGER / SONGWRITER All This Huxley – We Can Still Be Friends Back in 2019, we got our hands on the most recent single from Philly-based group All This Huxley – a track titled Comrade II. Not only did we find it to be a gentle, cohesive, and colorful work – we were so impressed by it that it landed at #6 in our [Click here to open…] GENRE: FOLK, MULTI-GENRE, ROCK Son Called Soul – Singularity (single) Minneapolis, MN-based artist Tony Molek is quickly breaking musical ground under the artist name Son Called Soul. He’s a true one-man-band in this project, playing every instrument as well as arranging and producing every track. A follow up to his [Click here to open…] GENRE:  BLUES, R&B / SOUL, ROCK, SINGER / SONGWRITER Tia McGraff – What If (Single) Toronto-based artist Tia McGraff is well on her way to carving herself out an impressive niche in the international singer-songwriter space. McGraff is an award-winning, inspirational musician, with nine international CD releases under her belt [Click here to open…] GENRE:  AMERICANA, SINGER / SONGWRITER The Client Brothers – Costa Rica Stories Longtime readers of The Ark will be extremely familiar with the music work of Costa Rica-based ex-pat Toby Tune (aka Harley Toberman) – we last introduced you to his instrumental album Introspection, where he created “intricate stories without words [Click here to open…] GENRE:  WORLD E.G. Holmes – Time to Rest (single) Pianist and songwriter E.G. Holmes has tacked a variety of genres across his music career, covering everything from singer-songwriter and adult alternative to rock, indie, jazz, blues, and more. His most recent release is titled Time to Rest – the [Click here to open…] GENRE: ADULT CONTEMPORARY, CLASSIC ROCK, ROCK, SINGER / SONGWRITER The Willing – Full Circle The five-piece alt-Americana group The Willing is well on their way to carving out their own distinctive niche in their chosen genre. Previously known as Ultima Thule, the band toured across much of the midwest in the 1970s. Each of the five members [Click here to open…] GENRE:  ADULT CONTEMPORARY, ALTERNATIVE, AMERICANA Various Artists – The 63rd FYC Album For the last few years, Bongo Boy Records has kept with a tradition – they round up all of their artists that made the first voting ballot for the Grammy Awards, and then they showcase that talent on one single, comprehensive compilation album. [Click here to open…] GENRE: REVIEWS: Clear Sun – Hidden Room Dream Based in Rochester, NY, artist Jeffrey Hull has taken his time deciding on the right moniker for his music. He’s released fifty albums under various names, including JiBaH, Hania Yiska. Mad Hugs, and Nostalgic Afterlife, and has over 20 years of [Click here to open…] CATEGORY: ELECTRONIC, INSTRUMENTAL, TRIP-HOP Devon – Glitter (single) Is it too early to start naming contenders for “Song of the Summer” yet? Because the most recent release from alt-pop songstress Devon is checking off all those boxes. Based in NYC and writing and producing all of her own material, Devon is preparing [Click here to open…] CATEGORY:  ALTERNATIVE, POP, Junior Burke – Any Eyes But Mine (single) One of the newest releases from the Bongo Boy Records endless vault of talent is a single from country/Americana singer-songwriter Junior Burke. Residing in rural Colorado, Burke’s music has been recorded by a multitude of artists, earning him both a [Click here to open…] CATEGORY:  AMERICANA, COUNTRY, SINGER / SONGWRITER David Omlor – Entropy Singer-songwriter David Omlor might describe himself as an average guy, but the music he’s created on his most recent album Entropy proves that he is anything but. Beginning his music career in the 80s in Philadelphia, he currently resides in Florida [Click here to open…] CATEGORY: ACOUSTIC, AMERICANA, FOLK, SINGER / SONGWRITER Tim Oksanen – Aeon Queensland, Australia based artist Tim Oksanen has been perfecting his craft for most of his life. Starting his foray into music as a performer in special church events in his youth, Oksanen started writing and recording his own music at the age of [Click here to open…] CATEGORY:  EASY LISTENING, POP, Junior Burke – Nothin’ But We last got our hands on the work of Junior Burke earlier this month, with the release of his single Any Eyes But Mine, a track we found to be full of “nuanced but uncomplicated melodies and brilliant lyricism.” Burke is now back with a full-length [Click here to open…] CATEGORY: ACOUSTIC, AMERICANA, FOLK, SINGER / SONGWRITER Mr. Majik – Hello, Mr. Majik Wales, UK-based artist Mr. Majik calls his artistic work “Music for the Revolution”. He releases all of his music with a Collaborative Artists Music House called Sound Legion that he started with his wife (artist Bonnie Legion) in 2015.  Mr. Majik [Click here to open…] CATEGORY:  HIP-HOP / RAP, SINGER / SONGWRITER

Media Contact Contact: Audrey Fletcher phone: 828.684.3066 fax: 828.684.4495 audrey.fletcher@crossroadsmusic.com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Gina Furtado Project brings unique sound to classic instrumental Click to download the photo. Arden, North Carolina (April 9, 2021) — After a steady stream of original songs by its namesake, the Mountain Home Music Company’s Gina Furtado Project takes a nifty side trip with an energetic version of a classic old-time-by-way-of-bluegrass instrumental, the “Kansas City Railroad Blues,” their first single produced by award-winning banjo player Kristin Scott Benson. The latest release places the spotlight squarely on the group’s impeccable virtuosity, while offering an introduction to new contributors to the Project’s authentically unique sound. The newest member of the Gina Furtado Project is bassist Lu Furtado, joining sisters Gina (banjo) and Malia (fiddle) in what’s both a personal and, given their past performances as teens in a family band, a musical reunion, too. “Kansas City Railroad Blues” is tailor made for a muscular rhythm section, and after Lu’s brief, punchy introduction, she’s joined by guitarist Drew Matulich in a convincing demonstration of driving train rhythms — cast first in bluegrass mode and then, mid-way through the track, shifting to a more swing-flavored feel. The foundation serves as an irresistible platform for deft solos in both styles by Matulich, Gina — twice nominated for the IBMA’s Banjo Player of the Year award — Malia and guest mandolinist Wayne Benson (Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out), and the result is a performance that shows off the distinctive, multi-dimensional playing of each. “How in the world I made it all these years as a banjo player and not heard of ‘Kansas City Railroad Blues,’ I have no idea,” confesses Gina. “Nonetheless, I heard this tune for the very first time last year, and it quickly became my new favorite. This tune has the magic fire that drew me to the banjo as a kid and hasn’t let me put it down since. I chose it knowing it would be a great way to show off the hot pickers in the band. It provides a perfect template for Drew and Malia to exhibit their pristine swing style chops. “This is also the first single of ours that includes our newest band member, Lu Furtado,” she adds. “And boy, does she make a grand entrance with her stellar bass playing! Lastly, Wayne Benson and Kristin Scott Benson, joining us on mandolin and from the producer’s chair, respectively, made this a super special recording. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed recording it!” Listen to “Kansas City Railroad Blues” HERE. About The Gina Furtado Project Formed by innovative artist Gina Furtado, The Gina Furtado Project brings unique musicianship and songwriting that breaks free from the assumed constructs of traditional music modalities and makes a new musical statement influenced by emotion, played with the highest skill, and expressing an enormous verve and vitality. Furtado, known for her work as the banjo player for Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, has a long history with her banjo. Born and raised in Front Royal, Virginia, Gina began touring up and down the east coast in her tween years with her siblings, earning countless ribbons from fiddlers conventions, a strong reputation in the regional bluegrass scene, and a stamp from Bluegrass Today as “absurdly talented.” She later played in a number of regional acts before making her international touring debut with Chris Jones and the Night Drivers soon after joining the group in 2016. While touring, she is joined by Drew Matulich on guitar and her sisters Malia Furtado, on violin and Lu Furtado on bass, and each brings experience and energy to the band. Now based in Asheville, NC, Matulich grew up in Georgia and began playing guitar at 8.  While studying music in college he performed with several bands of various styles in and around Georgia and Florida before immersing himself in the Bluegrass scene of Western North Carolina. He has toured and recorded with Billy Strings, made a guest appearance on Roland White’s album and shared the stage with the likes of David Grisman, Bryan Sutton, Sam Bush, Cody Kilby, and Sierra Hull. Malia’s musical journey began at the age of 3 with classical violin lessons and took a turn, when she attended her first festival, Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, a few years later. Since then, she has performed with a number of different groups, taken home a range of prizes, graced the stage of numerous venues up and down the East Coast and given private lessons in both bluegrass and classical playing. Malia is the Director of Education at the Front Porch Music School in Charlottesville, VA, and currently teaches adult continued education courses in bluegrass fiddle at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, VA. Lu Furtado has been attending bluegrass and old time music festivals since she was born. She began playing multiple instruments at the age of ten, and has been a winner at the Galax Old Fiddlers Convention playing the Clawhammer banjo, as well as flat foot dancing. She has toured and recorded with multiple bands of varying styles, including Banana Express and the Hi Flyers. She taught banjo for several years at the Galax Elementary School and private music lessons for many years. She brings double trouble to the Gina Furatdo Project with her silky, low harmony vocals as well as her stylish, groovy bass playing. About Mountain Home Music Company: Mountain Home Music Company, a division of Crossroads Label Group is a premier Bluegrass label with global distribution, representing such elite artists as Balsam Range, The Grascals, Lonesome River Band, Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, The Gina Furtado Project, Kristin Scott Benson, The Cleverlys, Danny Roberts, Sideline, Unspoken Tradition, Fireside Collective, Thomm Jutz, The Alex Leach Band, Carley Arrowood, Steve Gulley & Tim Stafford, Mark Stoffel, Jaelee Roberts, Tray Wellington and Andy Leftwich. Established in 1993, Crossroads is a market leader in the Bluegrass, Americana, and Christian Music fields.

at play  featuring Romero Lubambo, Helio Alves, Reuben Rogers, Edu RibeiroFOR YOUR CONSIDERATIONBest Latin Jazz/Jazz Album Album of the Year 22nd ANNUAL LATIN GRAMMYS

AT PLAY Romero Lubambo: Guitar Helio Alves: Piano Reuben Rogers: Bass Edu Ribeiro: DrumsBroken Symmetries Music and distributed by Open Studio Jazz. Mixed by Grammy winner James Farber at Sear Sound, mastered by Grammy winner Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, Recorded by David Amlen at Sound on Sound Studios Produced by Brian Fielding. …The Brazilian Jazz Quartet which includes Romero Lubambo, Helio Alves, Edu Ribeiro and Reuben Rodgers will unveil their new album titled simply “At Play.” This new nine-song release features the perfect chemistry that came about a chance meeting back in 2016. The album kicks off with the highly energetic jazz romp of “Bala Com Bala,” followed by the more soothing but equally adventurous flow of the seven-minute “Amazon River.” The quiet ballad of “It’s Clear” displays the quartet’s softer more elegant side before the full-on energy returns for the quick-moving pace of “Cebola No Frevo.” The Brazilian Jazz Quartet close out their new album with the wonderful finger-picking and piano melody of “Bebe,” along with the chaotic rhythm of “Na Colada Do Dia.” To find out more about the new release “At Play” from this amazingly talented foursome, please visit openstudiojazz.com /jazzpromoservices.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3186fe64133adb244b1010be2&id=d8322fbff6&e=6ac43555a2> . AT PLAY was mixed by Grammy winner James Farber at Sear Sound, mastered by Grammy Winner Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, and produced by Brian Fielding. It is being released on Broken Symmetries Music and distributed by Open Studio Jazz.

“Beat The Blues” Concert for Queens Public Library Queens Public Library has invited me to perform for their Beat The Blues concert series “Jazz, Bossa, And The Blues”. Joining me will be vocalist and dancer, Lucia Jackson and bassist Belden Bullock. We’ll be performing Van Morrison’s “Moondance,” a flamenco jazz original “Feel the Love,” and the jazz standard “You and the Night and the Music.” Watch live this Monday, April 12 at 7 PM ET on the QPL Facebook page, on your smartphone, laptop or smart TV! Click here to RSVP!     Register For My Jazz Improv Class on GoLive.ly On Sunday, April 18th at 2 PM ET, the folks over at Lively have invited me to teach a 90-minute workshop on Jazz Improvisation. This workshop is based mainly on the Barry Harris System of Improv, which is Be-Bop based. I’ll show you how to start using real jazz phrases on Jazz Blues Progression in C; Rhythm Changes, like in “I Got Rhythm”; and the Jazz standard, “I’ll Remember April” in G and more! By the end of the workshop, you will be able to play jazz licks or phrases on these tunes. All levels, ages, and instruments are welcome! REGISTER NOW to watch live on Sunday or the 7-day replay. Space is extremely limited!     Sunday Evening Jazz, with  Marc Brownstein and Lucia Jackson This Sunday, April 11th at 9 PM ET, I have another dynamic lineup for my weekly jazz show! My guests include bassist, Marc Brownstein, a founding member of The Disco Biscuits, SiriusXM DJ, and a leader in the Jam Band music scene for over 25 years. Also joining me will be my daughter, jazz singer, and dancer Lucia Jackson. Lucia and I will be live to give you all a teaser for our “Beat The Blues” concert premiering the next day. Tune in to my Sunday show at www.instagram.com/ronjacksonmusic/     Instant Access to My Guitar Arrangements and Printables Lessons  Excited to announce this new addition to my shop: You now have access to a collection of my arrangements and printable lessons for six and seven-string guitar! The titles made available are a result of your inquiries and feedback. My arrangements include, “Stella By Starlight”, “Fly Me To The Moon” and “Giant Steps”. The lessons include “7 String Walking Basslines” and “6 String Comping a la Freddy Greene”. Please let me know if there’s something you’d like to see in a collection of printed materials. Head on over to view www.ronjacksonmusic.com/printables     Save 5% on your Henriksen purchase. Use code “ronjackson” at checkout to save. Besides Amps, you can get some cool accessories and cables! www.henriksenamplifiers.com Save an additional 10% on your Skull Shaverpurchase by using the code “CADENCE” at check out. They carry products for both women and men! www.skullshaver.com     More Resources Remote Music Lessons: Book me for an online lesson and learn guitar, music theory, composition, and arranging in the comfort of your home – sliding scale available. And, there is also www.patreon.com/ronjacksonmusic which is my new guitar lesson and mentorship subscription service. Grooming and Beauty Products: Make your safety a priority when grooming. Skull Shaver has offered me a 10% discount code on any personal grooming order for men and women, including items on sale. Use Code CADENCE on the Skull Shaver site. Shop All My Favorite Things! Gear, guitars, books, accessories, and more. I recommend many of the things I use music-wise and in my production studio. I Love my Peterson Tuners, Eastman-Kremona Guitars, and Seymour Duncan Pedals. By shopping through my link, www.amazon.com/shop/ronjacksonmusic, and completing a purchase through my storefront, I make a small residual from Amazon, at no cost to you. Commission me for a Backing Track: If you need a quality studio recorded backing track or someone to accompany you virtually, I can provide this service in any variation (particularly for vocalists): in any key, tempo, length, and style; with chords; with(out) the melody. Please reach out so that I can go over options with you. Purchasing guitars and music equipment: Looking to build your home studio, or switch from six to seven-string guitar? If you are in the market to purchase a high-quality guitar or accessory, please reach out so I can negotiate a great deal for you.         Do you want a FREE Guitar Lesson on the Minor Pentatonic Scale? Go to PracticeJazzGuitar.com

Ron Jackson Music LLC Fort Lee Road, Teaneck, NJ, 07666, United States

San Francisco, CA – Anna Karney has been making great music for many years, performing across the country and putting out several singles, EPs, and albums, and now with her San Francisco-based band KARNEY is set to release a new single titled “BE TOGETHER,” the first in a series of singles she will be releasing throughout 2021. Songs from her last EP release Better received stellar airplay on Triple-A and Americana radio stations, including the title track and her powerful cover of “Ramble On,” one of Karney’s favorite Led Zeppelin songs.

Keeping her mind on social justice and positive messages, Anna Karney’s lyrical content offers a sardonic and sometimes straightforward approach to many of the issues facing people today. Feelings of isolation and a troubled heart have been unavoidable throughout the past year, so how can a social justice songwriter stay inspired during these trying times? By changing the tune. Channeling her loneliness, KARNEY has penned her first love song, inspired by all the dear friends she has missed for the past year. All she really wants is to reunite and to finally “Be Together” with those she loves.

Throughout the past year it has been difficult for musicians to stay productive. In order to create the “BE TOGETHER” single, KARNEY band musicians worked from individual studios to assemble their parts and build the track. Singer/guitarist Anna Karney, bassist Kevin White (The Chuck Prophet Band), and guitarist James DePrato (The Chuck Prophet Band) all recorded tracks at their own home studios. Drummer Jeff Herrera created rough drum parts in his rehearsal studio and sent them to trumpet player Bill Ortiz (Santana, Tony Toni Tone), who then recreated them digitally. All the tracks were then sent to producer/mixer Michael Rosen, who finished the mix at his East Bay Recorders studio. Ironically, even though the single is titled “BE TOGETHER,” the musicians never were. Such has been the reality during this past year, but the band is looking forward to reuniting soon after vaccinations, with each other and most of all their fans.

Before the release of the Better EP in 2020, KARNEY released her previous album of original songs titled NO MERCY in 2018, which received broad national Radio airplay on Triple-A and Americana radio stations, and internationally as well. On that album as well as on previous releases, KARNEY has worked with producers and artists in the SF Bay Area such as Producer/engineer Mark Pistel (Michael Franti, Grace Jones, Chuck Prophet), Producer/Engineer Michael Rosen (Rancid, Tesla, Smashmouth, Santana, and Papa Roach), and Adam Munoz (Herbie Hancock, Dave Mathews, Branford Marsalis, Joshua Bell, Chester Thompson, and Lyle Lovett).

Anna Karney’s musical influences include Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Patti Smith, John Lennon, Sheryl Crow, Chrissie Hynde, and Joni Mitchell. As an arranger, pianist, and guitarist, she has worked with artists such as George Clinton, Linda Perry, and Dennis Bovell. Anna Karney has had a diverse musical career, having spent many years composing music for games such as Star Wars Galaxies , Monkey Island IV , Armed and Dangerous , several SimCity titles, Metal Dungeon , Death Jr. , and many more.

Stay on the lookout for the next KARNEY single, a cover of Neil Young’s “HEART OF GOLD” due out in May 2021!

Visit the KARNEY website for more information: www.karney.org

To order or stream the “BE TOGETHER” single on digital services please visit: smarturl.it/KarneyBeTogether

To order the “BE TOGETHER” single from Bandcamp please visit: https://karney.bandcamp.com

For Press and Interview inquiries please contact Billy James of Glass Onyon PR at (828) 350-8158 or glassonyonpr@gmail.com

For Digital Marketing please contact Jerome Forney of Independent Distribution Collective at jerome@independentdistro.com

For Radio inquiries please contact Peter Hay of Twin Vision Radio Promotion at TwinVision@aol.com

Los Angeles, CA – Anyone who has followed the career of DMX, one of the most distinctive and instantly recognizable voices in all of hip hop, knows that he makes MOVES! From his blockbuster solo albums in the late ‘90s and early 2000s, to his numerous guest appearances on tracks with Jay Z, LL Cool J, Mase, The LOX and others, to becoming the leader of the explosive Ruff Ryders collective, DMX has never been one to rest in one place for long. That’s what has made him one of the most exciting rap artists of this or any other era, and it’s what makes his next venture all the more thrilling!

“X Moves” is the newest single from DMX. It’s a full-fledged rock/hip hop hybrid that recruits not one but THREE Rock Hall Of Famers: Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice who provides the track’s stampeding groove and Yes & Asia guitarist Steve Howe who throws down a riff for DMX to ride. In addition, “X Moves” finds DMX trading verses with the great Parliament-Funkadelic maestro Bootsy Collins who also provides a bit of extraterrestrial magic with his signature Space Bass. And finally, bringing an international flavor to the mix, German producer/artist Jürgen Engler of Die Krupps produced and mixed the track alongside Cleopatra Records founder Brian Perera who co-produced the track. All told, “X Moves” is a magnificent work that may prove to be DMX’s most daring move yet!

Stream the single: https://orcd.co/dmx_x_moves
Pre-order the limited edition 7” vinyl: https://cleorecs.com/store/?s=dmx+x+moves&post_type=product

Speaking of DMX’s recent health scare, Perera states, “Obviously, we are all holding our breath and praying that DMX pulls through and makes a full recovery. As ‘X Moves’ shows, he is still one of the most innovative and original hip hop artists around. Our hearts go out to all of DMX’s family, friends and supporters.”

Track List:
X Moves feat. Bootsy Collins, Steve Howe, & Ian Paice

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com

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Artist-focused non-profit Giant Step Arts partners with Jazz Generation’s KEYED UP! for new edition of acclaimed concert series Walk With The Wind April 10-11 free performances at NEW LOCATION in Central Park: Summit Rock in Seneca Village Concerts honor legacy of congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis Featuring William Parker Trio, James Brandon Lewis Freed Style Free Trio, Melissa Aldana Trio, Chris Potter Trio, Antonio Sanchez Trio, Marquis Hill Quartet, Michael Thomas Quartet, Nasheet Waits, Mark Turner, Marika Hughes, Johnathan Blake, Abraham Burton, Jason Palmer “Sitting socially distanced on The Mall and listening to live jazz feels like an optimistic moment…Jimmy Katz and Giant Step Arts are plugging a gap with Walk With The Wind.” – Dan Bergsagel, London Jazz News Giant Step Arts in partnership with Jazz Generation’s KEYED UP! continues the acclaimed performance series Walk With The Wind honoring civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis. The concerts – curated by Jimmy Katz and Nasheet Waits – will take place at pop up locations in New York City’s Central Park. Shows will be rescheduled in case of inclement weather. CONCERT SCHEDULE • Saturday, April 10 at Summit Rock in Seneca Village Noon – Robert Lotreck Quartet–  with Sarah Hanahan, Anthony Hervey, Phil Norris 1 p.m. – William Parker Trio with Cooper Moore and Hamid Drake • Sunday, April 11 at Summit Rock in Seneca Village Noon – Robert Lotreck Quartet with Sarah Hanahan, Drew Anderson, Phil Norris 1 p.m. – Steve Slagle Trio with Marty Kenney, Jason Tiemann 2 p.m. – Melissa Aldana Trio with Pablo Menares and Kush Abadey • Saturday, April 17 – Chris Potter Trio with Joe Martin and Nasheet Waits • Sunday, April 18 – Antonio Sanchez Trio with Donny McCaslin and Matt Brewer • Saturday, April 24 – Marquis Hill Quartet • Sunday, April 25 – Michael Thomas Quartet with Michael Rodriguez, Edward Perez, and Johnathan Blake • Saturday, May 1 – James Brandon Lewis, Freed Style Free Trio with Rashaan Carter and Chad Taylor; Aaron Burnett Quartet with Peter Evans, Nick Jozwiak, and Tyshawn Sorey • Saturday, May 8 – Marika Hughes: The New String Quartet with Hughes, Charlie Burnham, Marvin Sewell, and Rashaan Carter • Saturday, May 15 – Mark Turner Trio with Vicente Archer, Johnathan Blake • Sunday, May 23 – Johnathan Blake Trio; Nasheet Waits Quartet with Mark Turner, Steve Nelson, Rashaan Carter • Saturday, May 29 – Abraham Burton Trio with Dezron Douglas, Eric McPherson • Monday, May 31 – Jason Palmer Quartet with Mark Turner, Edward Perez, Kendrick Scott “The pandemic has been disastrous for musicians, many of whom normally earn a living through live performances and tours,” says Katz. “We wanted to find a way to continue supporting musicians, bring them together with audiences safely, and enable them to have a payday! Walk with the Wind, honoring the legacy of the great American John Lewis, is one way we are accomplishing this, and the response has been tremendous.” The well-received series, which began August 28, 2020 with Wayne Escoffery’s trio, has also featured The Marquis Hill Quartet, the Michael Thomas Trio, Marcus Strickland Trio, the Eric McPherson Trio, the Leap Day Trio and the Joel Ross Quartet. Founded by renowned photographers Jimmy and Dena Katz in January 2018, Giant Step Arts is an innovative, artist-focused non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning and showcasing the work of innovative modern jazz artists. Giant Step Arts offers musicians the artistic and financial resources to create bold, adventurous new music free of commercial pressure. Giant Step Arts provides promotional material and publicity services, presents premiere performances and compensates artists, records performances for independent release, provides artists with CDs and digital downloads to sell directly, conveys complete ownership of masters to artists, and provides PR support for the recordings. “Giant Step Arts does not sell any music,” Katz says. “Our goals are to help musicians make bold artistic statements and to advance their careers.” Jazz Generation was founded in 1999 to emphasize the importance of live jazz as an art form and the performing arts as a cultural asset. The Jazz Discovery Program (JDP) and The Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra (JSYO), and since 2014 KEYED UP!, an anti-poverty program, has offered services that support professional jazz artists in their performing careers, revitalize local businesses, and develop a new generation of audiences and performers. KEYED UP! Has quickly become a favorite NYC entity for musicians, audiences, and venues. Operating simultaneously in over 25 partner venues spanning from Jersey City to Boston, KeyedUP! Is proud to keep hundreds of musicians working and thousands of jazz listeners happy at no extra cost to partner venues.

Giant Step Arts Jazz Generation braithwaite&katz Copyright © 2021 Braithwaite & Katz, All rights reserved. Hello, you are receiving this email because we have recently updated our MailChimp account.Our mailing address is: Braithwaite & Katz 248 South Great Rd. Lincoln, MA 01773 Add us to your address book

Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz Spring 2021 Virtual Concert Series 3D Jazz Trio Thursday, April 8, 7:30 pm Available to stream through April 10 $10 – friendsofjazz.org/3d-jazz-trio

Fiercely swinging on purpose, with purpose, this powerhouse trio plays original, traditional and contemporary standards from all genres of music. Their unique style and innovative arrangements are always super-charged by their boundless musical joy and gratitude.  Sherrie, Amy, and Jackie met in May of 2014 at the Cleveland Playhouse while playing in The DIVA Jazz Orchestra as part of Maurice Hines’ award-winning show Tappin’ Thru Life. From their first shared downbeat, they became kindred-swinging spirits and the resulting musical synergy was fast and fierce…or as the New York Times said…”Blistering Hot!” The show received the 2016 Audelco Awards’ Musical Production of the Year. Since its inception, 3D has performed at many of the world’s most prestigious venues and festivals, including: The Blue Note (NYC) Dizzy’s Club (NYC), Mezzrow (NYC), Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors (NYC), The Jazz Kitchen (Indianapolis, IN), Blues Alley (D.C.), Tri-C Jazz Festival (Clvd, OH), and The Deer Head Inn (DWG, PA), and are scheduled to play at the Rochester International Jazz Festival (Rochester, NY), The Gilmore International Keyboard Festival (Kalamazoo, MI), and the Festival Internacional de Música La Guarapachanga (Pinar del Rio, Cuba). They were featured on The Kate TV’s “live” music series with Maurice Hines (PBS) and three times on WVIA radio’s Homegrown Music Series. Jackie, Amy and Sherrie are also experienced and enthusiastic educators. In 2019 the group received a rousing standing ovation as they headlined the opening performance at Jazz Educator’s Network Conference in Reno, NV. They were recently guest soloists with the Binghamton University Jazz ensemble (NY); and they’ve presented workshops and clinics at numerous universities, colleges, and high schools throughout the country. In summer 2020 they will serve as artists-in-residence for the second time at Maryland Summer Jazz in Rockville, MD. 3D’s most recent recording, I Love To See You Smile, was recorded in January 2020 at Red Rock Recording Studio. The band’s self-entitled CD was released in 2016 and recorded “live” at WVIA Radio. Look for their upcoming release, Holiday in 3D, in November 2020. Connect with the 3D Jazz Trio on their website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Tickets are $10. Available at friendsofjazz.org/3d-jazz-trio More from Central Pennsylvania Friends of Jazz Joe Locke/Warren Wolf Duo, feat. Herman Burney Thursday, May 13 friendsofjazz.org/locke-wolf-duo

For May 7, 2021 Release From Whaling City Sound, New Bedford, MA Distribution: NAXOS of America Inc. ArkivJazz Interview contact: Ginny Shea MIXED MEDIA T: 401.942.8025 E: ginny@mixedmediapromo.com Download album/EPK from Link Here A World of Talent Rale Micic’s heartwarming fusion of heritage, taste, and jazz guitar sophistication shines on Only Love Will Stay It goes without saying, though we’ll say it once, right from the top here, that Rale Micic is a unique voice in jazz guitar. He combines an absurdly melodic approach and an intricate insight into harmonies, with a sort of deep personal story from his native Serbia. His life experience and heritage exert a soft and loving influence on his artistic approach: the rhythm, tone, and feel of the music of his life. This approach, in the works for a while now, culminates on his new recording, Only Love Will Stay. Micic has played with such artists as Tom Harrell, Don Friedman, Peter Bernstein, Eric Alexander, and Greg Hutchinson, but it’s the striking originality with which he plays his own music that really distinguishes him from other jazz guitar talents. The session, with Jared Gold on keys and Geoff Clapp and Johnathan Blake on drums, is both relaxed and substantial, joyful and chill, starring the filigreed sounds of Micic’s Sadowsky archtop and the tasty choices of empathic accompanists. “I first played with Johnathan Blake when we were in Tom Harrell’s group,” says Micic. “We have been playing together for over 10 years and he was also on my previous album, Night Music. Geoff is another great drummer and we have toured and played quite a bit in the last four, five years. It’s great how both of them brought something special to the music. This is the first time I worked with Jared Gold, but it felt so nice and easy. I think the musical chemistry is pretty apparent.” Only Love Will Stay features Micic and the band creating layers of original sounds, featuring a backbone in acoustic jazz ala John Abercrombie, the intricate textures of his internal conversations, and continuing through the loving melodic rhythms of his native Serbia. “Early on,” he says, “I loved listening to the very different way that John Abercrombie was using organ with his groups and keeping it very open and cool sounding. So, I guess this record is a nod to John. He was a big influence on me. I was fortunate to play and record with him before he passed away. That’s one of the reasons I included his song ‘Even Steven’ on the album.” Elsewhere, tunes like the dark and dramatic title track which opens the record, right through to the lush, atmospheric closer “Lipe Cvatu,” in 7/8, are enrapturing without going too far astray, too deep into the margins. They are intoxicating without over-exerting. Micic’s Only Love Will Stay is a joyful experience and a stunning excursion into the mind of a truly original artist. Only Love Will Stay promo video ©IANGITTLER

Danse Lente Mason Stephenson / Chansons sous la Pluie 00:00 06:04 1 Danse Lente / Mason Stephenson 06:04 2 Prelude de la Lune / Mason Stephenson 02:40 3 Nocturne de la Lune / Mason Stephenson 04:16 4 Sous la Pluie / Mason Stephenson

In a stunning, full-color book, author Anthony Garone details a 22-year journey of transformation in mastering the intricate complexity of “Fracture” – described by composer Robert Fripp as “impossible to play.”

When progressive rock band King Crimson released “Starless and Bible Black” in 1974, very few recognized the astonishing virtuosity captured in the album’s 11-minute instrumental capstone, “Fracture.” Three minutes into the piece, guitarist Robert Fripp begins a quiet, non-stop barrage of notes called a “moto perpetuo” an Italian term for “perpetual motion.” Fripp’s moto perpetuo requires intense right-hand string-skipping, and picking capabilities only a handful of guitarists around the world possess.

Musician Anthony Garone was challenged by his father to learn “Fracture” in 1998. As a 16-year-old who practiced guitar six or more hours every day, he could not understand why he could play other technical pieces of music, but not “Fracture.” Over the years, he published blog posts and videos about his efforts. Garone kept working in isolated frustration until he enrolled in a week-long guitar instruction course led by Fripp in rural Mexico in 2015. That week was transformative.

It was in Mexico that Garone learned the mechanics of Fripp’s very unique right-hand technique. To properly play “Fracture,” Garone had to re-learn how to play guitar, sit, stand, and breathe. It would also require meditation and a new way of using his body.

Following many months of back-to-the-basics guitar practice, Garone re-trained himself to play guitar, playing a single open string for two hours a day across several weeks. In 2016, he was finally able to play small pieces of “Fracture” without any pain or frustration. He documented his progress on his Make Weird Music YouTube channel in a series called “Failure to Fracture.” The videos garnered hundreds of thousands of views and praise from Fripp himself, who wrote “Fracture is impossible to play, cf. Anthony Garone.”

“Failure to Fracture” captures Garone’s transformative 22-year journey. The story begins with his time as a teenager developing a friendship with guitar hero Steve Vai in 1996. It ends with video performances of both “Fracture” and the even more difficult “sequel” composition, “FraKctured,” written and performed in Fripp’s own New Standard Tuning. It is a book about achieving the impossible, overcoming one’s limitations, and retraining the mind and body.

In March 2021, Fripp stated on YouTube: “Anthony Garone is a man who has just written a book about to be published on ‘Failure to Fracture.’ Anthony has spent 22 years failing to play ‘Fracture.’ Actually, he’s done a pretty good job. Anthony’s failure is so well-achieved in my book, it’s a success.”

More praise from fellow Crims and chums:

“The best story of the long path of craftsmanship I have come across.” – Trey Gunn, former member of King Crimson

“This book is a game changer. It delivers a detailed insight into a ‘secret’ world that is hardly ever being discussed in popular culture.” – Markus Reuter

“The insight in this book goes beyond simply learning to play an impossible song… it provides a roadmap for how to live your best life.” – Gabriel Riccio

Guitarist, author and composer Anthony Garone pens a compelling story of transformational failure after failure followed by a final victory: the ultimate performance of one of progressive rock’s most challenging and complex songs.

Release date: May 18, 2021

To pre-order:
www.FailureToFracture.com
Anthony@MakeWeirdMusic.com

Contact Information:
Ken Coffman, Publisher, Stairway Press
1000 West Apache Trail, Suite 126
Apache Junction, AZ 85120
(360) 420-8870
Ken@StairwayPress.com
www.StairwayPress.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Los Angeles, CA – The wait is finally over, friends, ‘70s classic rock legends Cactus, known to fans around the world as The American Led Zeppelin, have released their high-flying new album, Tightrope, on all formats today! Founding member and drum legend Carmine Appice, leads this dynamic quintet that includes longtime Cactus vocalist Jimmy Kunes, new lead guitarist Paul Warren (ex-Rod Stewart, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker), who also co-wrote and co-produced the album, Randy Pratt on harmonica, and James Caputo on bass, through a dozen newly recorded tracks that strike a delicate balance between powerful, driving rockers and more complex, heady cuts. The band filmed a slick performance video for the title track, which offers one of the album’s most killer and memorably groovy hooks.

Appice had this to say about the song, “‘Tightrope’ is one of my favorite songs from the album. The drum and bass groove plus the cool guitar riff rock!! Cool melodies on top make this is a great Classic Heavy Blues Rock track. I love it!!!”

Watch the video: https://youtu.be/Fjy8FIaU3s0

For All Things Cactus, please visit: http://www.cactusrocks.net

Tightrope is now available on digipak CD, a deluxe 2LP set with a gatefold jacket and colored vinyl, and of course on digital platforms everywhere courtesy of Cleopatra Records!

Order the album: https://orcd.co/cactus_tightrope

Track List:
1. Tightrope
2. Papa Was A Rolling Stone
3. All Shook Up
4. Poison In Paradise
5. Third Time Gone
6. Shake That Thing
7. Primitive Touch
8. Preaching Woman Man Blues
9. Elevation
10. Suite 1 & 2: Everlong, All The Madmen
11. Headed For A Fall
12. Wear It Out

Press inquiries:
Glass Onyon PR
Billy James
PH: 828-350-8158
glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Cactus Management:
Bruce Pilato / Pilato Entertainment Marketing & Media LLC
585-721-6029
www.pilato.com
bruce@pilato.com

CLEOPATRA RECORDS, Inc.
11041 Santa Monica Blvd #703
Los Angeles CA 90025
www.CleopatraRecords.com

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To celebrate 50 years of ground-breaking progressive rock, Focus are delighted to announce their “Focus 50” 3CD/Blu-Ray package to be released on April 30, 2021through In Focus Records distributed by Cherry Red Records.

The Coronavirus pandemic forced Focus to postpone their anniversary celebrations from 2020 and “Focus 50” will herald a year of celebration which will culminate in the release of a brand new studio album in early 2022.

At the heart of the “Focus 50” package are 2CDs and Blu-Ray of “Focus Live In Rio,” a concert recorded in Nitteroi, Rio de Janeiro, in 2017. The concert features music from across the history of the band from “Focus 1” and “House Of The King,” on their very first album, through the classics “Hocus Pocus,” “Sylvia” and “Focus III” to “Song For Eva” first released in 2017.

“Focus 50” also includes a bonus CD “Completely Focused” with the classic Focus tracks numbered 1 through 12 re-recorded by the current Focus line-up of Thijs van Leer (keyboard, flute and vocals), Pierre van der Linden (drums), Menno Gootjes (guitar) and Udo Pannekeet (bass). The Focus tracks have been recorded during the lockdown period and mixed by Udo Pannekeet.

The discs are accompanied by a booklet with notes by the band, their long serving engineer Geert Scheijgrond and South American tour promoter Marcel Castro with whom Focus have had a long relationship and who brought together the recording of the show in Rio. The booklet also features photos from the Rio concert showing the energetic and fun side of life on the road with Focus together with personal photos from touring and in the studio – a more intimate view of the band away from the limelight. This captures the essence of the Focus family which includes Geert, Marcel and legendary artist Roger Dean, and is incredibly important to the band. The current line-up has been together since 2016 and has a magical chemistry which manifests into electrifying performances.

“Focus 50” is released on April 30, 2021 as a 3CD/Blu-Ray with book package through In Focus Records distributed by Cherry Red Records.

About Focus

Focus emerged in 1970 with a debut album “Focus Plays Focus” which became better known as “In And Out Of Focus.” Their breakthrough came with the worldwide success of singles “Hocus Pocus” and “Sylvia” the early seventies with a line-up which included founder member Thijs van Leer (keyboard, flute and vocals), Pierre van der Linden (drums) and Jan Akkerman (guitar). The albums “Focus II/Moving Waves” and “Focus 3” put the band at the very forefront of the progressive music scene.

Beloved by the student population, Focus’ music fused van Leer’s love of jazz and classical music and he employed a unique vocal style of yodeling and scat, using the voice as another form of instrumentation rather than singing in a conventional style. Focus played to sold out theatres around the world and, at that time, were quite possibly ‘the coolest band on the planet.’

Through many line-up changes across the years van Leer consistently sourced great musicians to join the Focus ranks. Focus went their separate ways in 1978, occasionally reuniting to perform on stage or record together on solo projects. Van Leer officially reformed Focus with a new line-up in 2001 and released the acclaimed “Focus 8” album the following year. Pierre van der Linden returned in 2004 while current guitarist Menno Gootjes joined the Focus family in 2010. Udo Pannekeet completed the current Focus line-up in 2016 contributing to the “Focus Family Album” (2017) collection, which includes re-recordings and previously unreleased material, before the band returned to the studio to record “Focus 11” (2018).

Focus are now looking forward to returning to live performance, once the Coronavirus pandemic has been controlled, and sharing their music with their fans – the extended Focus family.

Track Listing:

DISC ONE: LIVE IN RIO CD
1. FOCUS 1
2. HOUSE OF THE KING
3. ERUPTION
4. SYLVIA
5. SONG FOR EVA
6. ALL HENS ON DECK

DISC TWO: LIVE IN RIO CD
1. LE TANGO
2. P’S MARCH
3. FOCUS 5
4. HAREM SCAREM
5. HOCUS POCUS
6. FOCUS 3

DISC THREE: LIVE IN RIO BLU-RAY
1. FOCUS 1
2. HOUSE OF THE KING
3. ERUPTION
4. SYLVIA
5. SONG FOR EVA
6. ALL HENS ON DECK
7. LE TANGO
8. P’S MARCH
9. FOCUS 5
10. HAREM SCAREM
11. HOCUS POCUS
12. FOCUS 3

DISC FOUR: COMPLETELY FOCUSSED CD
1. FOCUS 1
2. FOCUS 2
3. FOCUS 3
4. FOCUS 4
5. FOCUS 5
6. FOCUS 6
7. FOCUS 7
8. FOCUS 8
9. FOCUS 9
10. FOCUS 10
11. FOCUS 11
12. FOCUS 12

“Focus: Focus 50 – Live In Rio” 3CD/1 Blu Ray Deluxe Edition Pre-order here: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/focus-focus-50-live-in-rio-3cd-1-blu-ray-deluxe-edition/

For more information: https://focustheband.co.uk/

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

Darlene Koldenhoven

• This is what happens, when you least expect it!

  I would like to thank the “World Songwriting Awards” for this honor. “Island Dance,” won for “Best Song World Music Artist” we did it

  Joey Arminio

  Studios/Records, Nino Piombo, and

  Tom Jacobsen https://songwritingawards.wordpress.com/winter-2021-winning-entries/?fbclid=IwAR32kv40w5ELjwldjHI4fcYOvXcNc_TdBuvkceXMDVOWGq9CvtGA3cjfTj0
• Look at what I received in the mail today, from the “Indie Music Channel Radio Awards.” I’m overwhelmed with joy for being recognized as a songwriter for my single “Luv Dat Smooth Latte”(Nicos Theme). I’m totally blessed, thank you Lord!

  A huge thank you to the individuals who made it possible,

  Arminio

  Studios/Records

  Donnie Harrell

  , Joey Arminio,

  Terry Tuck

  , and

  Tom Jacobsen.
• Frank Piombo

  music is being bought and streamed by thirty five countries!!

• They are the United States, Canada, Japan, Spain, France, Mexico, Finland, Switzerland, Australia, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden, Russia, Greece, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Austria, Belgium, Portugal, South Africa, Morocco, Brazil, Argentina, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Chile, Hong Kong, Hungary, Turkey, the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, and Luxembourg
• 4. I would like to thank the “Indie Music Hall of Fame,” for inducting me in 2020.
• 5. I would also like to thank the “East Coast Music Hall of Fame,” for nominating me in 2019 and 2020.
• 6. Last but not least, I would like to thank all the radio personalities/stations that have been airing my music. What would I do without you, God Bless you all!!
• All The Best,
• Frank

Greetings
ears&eyes Records just announced Queen of Cups by Lauren Lee, check it out here.

Enjoy!

NEWVELLE LIVE a new way to stream concerts

A New Concert Every Week in April Starting this Friday April 2nd, 8 PM

Follow this link for a sneak peek at the site launching this Friday With live performances all but eliminated due to the pandemic, Newvelle Live gives you a novel way to support artists and institutions who are continuing the legacy of improvised music for a new generation. Anyone can join. All we ask is that you consider making a contribution to support the musicians performing every Friday in April. Contributions will be divided equally among the 12 artists performing throughout the series. Newvelle, thanks to the generous support of musician and entrepreneur Alex Rigopulos, covers the entire overhead for producing and recording this series. So all of the money that is donated for this streaming series goes straight to the musicians. This series is designed as a radical experiment: one that explores the relationship between musician and fan, and an attempt to strengthen our communities and support musicians at this critical time. April 2nd 8:00 PM: Jon Cowherd, Steve Cardenas and Simón Willson April 9th 8:00 PM: John Patitucci, Yotam Silberstein and Rogerio Boccato April 16th 8:00 PM: Tim Berne and Gregg Belisle-Chi April 23rd 8:00 PM:  Rufus Reid and Sullivan Fortner April 30th 8:00 PM: Carmen Staaf and Allison MillerAll times Eastern Standard Time

Pre-Order Now New Solo Piano Album by Darlene Dear Dick, I’m excited to present my first solo piano album, The Grand Piano Spa, composed and recorded during the pandemic quarantine, with the purpose of bringing positive, calming, musical, vibes to support your environment as we begin to look toward a more positive future. SPECIAL – CD Only $5 + $1 US Shipping on All Proceeds Go to the Artist Day, Today – April 2 Otherwise same deal through May 20th but please BUY NOW! at my page on Bandcamp. The Pre-Ordered CDs ship out and Downloads become available on May 14, the official release day. Contemporary Instrumental, Neo-Classical, New Age Music Song Titles Back Cover In my Studio Personal First I want to give a huge THANK YOU to all who have already pre-ordered my new album. This encourages me to prepare for an upcoming on-line piano concert for you; details for that event will be forthcoming. Also a huge THANK YOU for those who waited to Pre-Order TODAY. For those who have not pre-ordered yet, I would greatly appreciate it if you could support my quest to get on the Billboard Charts for sales, a goal on my bucket list that I have never reached out for until now. We have until the end of May 20 to accomplish this goal. Normally, I would be on the road performing live concerts to support sales but that won’t happen for the foreseeable future. But in the mean time, please enjoy this video of “Wisteria” the first track from The Grand Piano Spa album, that I played in a live, outdoor, chilly night – chilly fingers concert with a very full house at the S. Mark Taper Amphitheater benefitting the Tree People in Beverly Hills, CA in 2019. It was a beautiful setting on a hillside amongst the trees in spite of the airplanes taking off nearby. I miss those days of performing and hope we all will be getting back to them soon. (P.S. I made my gown.) In the industry, being on the Billboard Charts is a big deal. Billboard will credit up to 4 CD sales per person. (If you don’t have a CD player, they make lovely coasters or photo reminders for you to take a breath and relax every time you see them propped up in your home, or as a sweet little gift for your friends.) You can hear a few clips from the album at my website where you’ll find pre-order links there too. If you would like one, be sure to tick the box for an autograph on your CDs purchased through Bandcamp. Also on my website you that can listen to is my interview for The Final on Vinyl Podcast with host Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck. Pre-Order Downloads are also available at Amazon & Apple Music iTunes at $8.91 for the album. (Amazon preferred to get on their charts too.) Regarding streaming, I would need 4,000 streams to equal 1 CD!!! That said, please also add the album to your streaming playlists. Pre-Order CD Now MORE New Great Reviews Are Coming In “Renowned New Age vocalist Darlene Koldenhoven uses the voice of the piano to offer you a little time for yourself for renewing, refreshing, and healing as she presents her new album, The Grand Piano Spa. It is the compassionate sound track for a new beginning, a new day. A new you.” –RJ Lannan, ArtisanMusicReviews.com “The phenomenally gifted songbird is just as talented on her piano as with her unmistakable and remarkable voice. “The Grand Piano Spa” Darlene Koldenhoven’s first beautiful solo piano album, is a most welcome respite to the soul and a shining ray of sparkling light in a murky sea. Truly grand.” – Dyan Garris, New Age CD, Zone Music Reporter, Spirit Seeker Magazine Also be sure to see the lovely feature spread Dyan did on her reviews website NewAgeCDs for The Grand Piano Spa and me. Check out her radio show where’s she’s playing my music and you’ll also hear me singing some station IDs on New Age Notes Radio! ~~~ Previous: “The Grand Piano Spa provides the keys to the kingdom . . . it is so beautiful and inviting, the benefits of this music are immediate. All 9 tracks will lift your spirits.”–Keith “Muzik Man” Hanneleck, NewAgeMusicReviews.com, The Final on Vinyl Podcasts “One of instrumental music’s highlights of 2021 will undoubtedly be the release of The Grand Piano Spa. It’s gorgeous! Don’t miss it!” –Kathy Parsons, MainlyPiano.com, Piano Concert Presenter “Luxuriously stimulating solo piano…Koldenhoven is well-known here for wondrous creations that always capture the heart and soul. On her new album, she gives us new insights into her musical genius with tasty solo piano that other artists can aspire to… I’m (again) mightily impressed!”” –Dick Metcalf, editor, Contemporary Fusion Reviews Read All Full Reviews Here Companion Piano Collection from The Grand Piano Spa Downloadable Book or Individual Sheet Music Piano Collection – 9 Pieces – $19.99 Book Interior 38 Pages Individual Sheet Music $4.99 Download the complete album collection of 9 pieces or individual sheet music. Download includes both the ePub file for your eReader and pdf. Available May 14. You may also order special edition hard copy with autograph by emailing me for more information here. Learn More BOOK REVIEW “I have found all nine of the pieces to be very enjoyable to play and will revisit this book often! The moods and experiences expressed in the music are varied, something that I think adds to the enjoyment of playing the music. This would be an excellent book to work on with adult and teen piano students as well as for pianists to play for their own enjoyment.” -Kathy Parsons, MainlyPiano.com, Piano Teacher, Music Editor Thanks for your time and consideration. There are more exciting upcoming happenings that I am looking forward to sharing with you. Feel free to forward this email to your friends and connect with me on social media. Much appreciated. Thanks. All the best, Darlene

Artist-focused non-profit Giant Step Arts partners with Jazz Generation’s KEYED UP! for new edition of acclaimed concert series Walk With The Wind Free performances beginning April 4 in Central Park honor legacy of congressman and civil rights leader John Lewis Featuring Wayne Escoffery/Jeremy Pelt Quartet, William Parker Trio, James Brandon Lewis Freed Style Free Trio, Melissa Aldana Trio, Chris Potter Trio, Antonio Sanchez Trio, Marquis Hill Quartet, Michael Thomas Quartet, Nasheet Waits, Mark Turner, Marika Hughes, and Immanuel Wilkins “Sitting socially distanced on The Mall and listening to live jazz feels like an optimistic moment…Jimmy Katz and Giant Step Arts are plugging a gap with Walk With The Wind.” – Dan Bergsagel, London Jazz News Giant Step Arts in partnership with Jazz Generation’s KEYED UP! continues the acclaimed performance series Walk With The Wind honoring civil rights activist and congressman John Lewis. The concerts – curated by Jimmy Katz and Nasheet Waits – will take place at pop up locations in New York City’s Central Park. Shows run from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. and feature at least two bands. They will be rescheduled in case of inclement weather. CONCERT SCHEDULE • Sunday, April 4 – Note new location at The South End of the Mall 11 a.m. – Alto saxophonist Sarah Hanahan, trumpeter Giveton Gelin, bassist Phil Norris, and drummer Robert Lotreck 1 p.m. – The Wayne Escoffery/Jeremy Pelt Quartet with Dezron Douglas and Johnathan Blake • Saturday, April 10 11 a.m. – Alto saxophonist Sarah Hanahan, bassist Phil Norris, and drummer Robert Lotreck 1 p.m. – William Parker Trio with Cooper Moore and Hamid Drake • Sunday, April 11 11 a.m. – Alto saxophonist Sarah Hanahan, bassist Phil Norris, and drummer Robert Lotreck 1 p.m. – Melissa Aldana Trio with Pablo Menares and Kush Abadey • Saturday, April 17 – Chris Potter Trio with Joe Martin and Nasheet Waits • Sunday, April 18 – Antonio Sanchez Trio with Donny McCaslin and Matt Brewer • Saturday, April 24 – Marquis Hill Quartet • Sunday, April 25 – Michael Thomas Quartet with Michael Rodriguez, Edward Perez, and Johnathan Blake • Saturday, May 1 – James Brandon Lewis, Freed Style Free Trio with Rashaan Carter and Chad Taylor; Aaron Burnett Quartet with Peter Evans, Nick Jozwiak, and Tyshawn Sorey • Saturday, May 8 – Marika Hughes: The New String Quartet with Hughes, Charlie Burnham, Marvin Sewell, and Rashaan Carter Other upcoming dates will include bands led by Nasheet Waits, Mark Turner, and Immanuel Wilkins. “The pandemic has been disastrous for musicians, many of whom normally earn a living through live performances and tours,” says Katz. “We wanted to find a way to continue supporting musicians, bring them together with audiences safely, and enable them to have a payday! Walk with the Wind, honoring the legacy of the great American John Lewis, is one way we are accomplishing this, and the response has been tremendous.” The well-received series, which began August 28, 2020 with Wayne Escoffery’s trio, has also featured The Marquis Hill Quartet, the Michael Thomas Trio, Marcus Strickland Trio, the Eric McPherson Trio, the Leap Day Trio and the Joel Ross Quartet. Founded by renowned photographers Jimmy and Dena Katz in January 2018, Giant Step Arts is an innovative, artist-focused non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning and showcasing the work of innovative modern jazz artists. Giant Step Arts offers musicians the artistic and financial resources to create bold, adventurous new music free of commercial pressure. Giant Step Arts provides promotional material and publicity services, presents premiere performances and compensates artists, records performances for independent release, provides artists with CDs and digital downloads to sell directly, conveys complete ownership of masters to artists, and provides PR support for the recordings. “Giant Step Arts does not sell any music,” Katz says. “Our goals are to help musicians make bold artistic statements and to advance their careers.” Jazz Generation was founded in 1999 to emphasize the importance of live jazz as an art form and the performing arts as a cultural asset. The Jazz Discovery Program (JDP) and The Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra (JSYO), and since 2014 KEYED UP!, an anti-poverty program, has offered services that support professional jazz artists in their performing careers, revitalize local businesses, and develop a new generation of audiences and performers. KEYED UP! Has quickly become a favorite NYC entity for musicians, audiences, and venues. Operating simultaneously in over 25 partner venues spanning from Jersey City to Boston, KeyedUP! Is proud to keep hundreds of musicians working and thousands of jazz listeners happy at no extra cost to partner venues.

Giant Step Arts Jazz Generation braithwaite&katz Copyright © 2021 Braithwaite & Katz, All rights reserved. Hello, you are receiving this email because we have recently updated our MailChimp account.Our mailing address is: Braithwaite & Katz 248 South Great Rd. Lincoln, MA 01773 Add us to your address book

• NEW EXPANDED RELEASE OF THIS CLASSIC SOLO ALBUM BY JON ANDERSON FROM 1982
• WITH ONE BONUS TRACK
• FEATURING GUEST MUSICIANS SIMON PHILLIPS, CLEM CLEMPSON, DAVID SANCIOUS, CHRIS RAINBOW, JACK BRUCE & DAVE LAWSON
• REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL POLYDOR MASTER TAPES
• FULLY RESTORED ARTWORK AND NOTES

Esoteric Recordings are pleased to announce the release of a new remastered and expanded edition of the 1982 solo album by Jon Anderson, “Animation.”

The album was recorded throughout 1981 during Jon’s first hiatus from YES, with whom he had become an internationally known vocalist and songwriter and followed on from his acclaimed albums “Olias of Sunhillow” and “Song of Seven.” Working with co-producer Neil Kernon and a host of talented musicians such as DAVID SANCIOUS, CLEM CLEMPSON, SIMON PHILLIPS, STEFANO CERRI, CHRIS RAINBOW and JACK BRUCE and DAVE LAWSON, Anderson created an album that absorbed the latest electronic instrument technology whilst retaining an ambitious and progressive edge.

“Animation” was a UK top fifty hit upon its release by Polydor Records in June 1982 and spawned two UK singles, of which the non-album track “Spider” acted, strangely, as a B-side to both releases.

“Animation” has since become a favorite album among aficionados of Jon Anderson’s work. This Esoteric Recordings edition has been newly re-mastered from the original Polydor Records master tapes and is expanded to include the single B-side track “Spider” and the rare demo “The Spell.” The original album artwork is restored in a digipak. The booklet also features a new essay with an exclusive interview with Jon Anderson.

‘Animation’ came at a point in my life when I felt very creative and adventurous musically and the birth of my third child ‘Jade’ was the key…watching her arrive in this world was truly magical…and I sing about her eyes slowly opening as I was captured by an Angel in disguise as I sang it….

‘Surrender’ remains a wonderful way of creating Peace on Earth… ‘All in Matter of Time’…and all these songs relate to my love of life and hope for our future on this amazing planet Earth….

The songs seem timeless to me…and sound very fresh.

love and ‘light’ – Jon Anderson

Track Listing:

1. OLYMPIA
2. ANIMATION
3. SURRENDER
4. ALL IN A MATTER OF TIME
5. UNLEARNING (THE DIVIDING LINE)
6. BOUNDARIES
7. PRESSURE POINT
8. MUCH BETTER REASON
9. ALL GOD’S CHILDREN
BONUS TRACK
10. SPIDER
11. THE SPELL (Demo)

To pre-order: https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/jon-anderson-animation-remastered-expanded-edition

Jon Anderson’s official website: www.jonanderson.com

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

People of All Faiths Welcome to Watch St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery’s 20th Annual Good Friday Blues Service Friday, April 2, 2021, noon to 3:00 p.m. Virtual Service Go To stmarksbowery.org/goodfridayblues

Good Friday Service Reaches Out to Community With Blues and Gospel Music NEW YORK, April 1, 2021 ─ Staying true to its long history and commitment to justice and mercy through worship and the arts, poetry, dance, and historic preservation, St.  Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery announces plans for its annual Good Friday Blues on Friday, April 2, noon to 3:00 p.m. presented this year via Zoom. “The experience is a spiritual journey,” says Jeannine Otis, Director of Music at St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery. “Through the genre of the blues, which evokes the history of struggle and dealing with challenges, we explore the unbreakable connection to and boundless love from God that emerges in even the darkest times. It is beautifullycathartic.” WHAT: St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery presents its 20th annual Good Friday Blues, which includes the Passion according to the Gospel of John, meditations by three preachers, and music presented from artists across New York City. All are welcome to this virtual show. WHO: Featuring leaders of the Episcopal Dioceses of New York, Grammy-award winning performers and members of the St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery greater community, many of whom are inaugural Good Friday Blues performers: SPEAKING: Rt. Rev. Andrew M. L. Dietsche, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York; Dr. Nell Gibson, lifelong and dedicated activist to racial equality and social justice; Co-Creator Rt. Rev. Catherine S. Roskam, Suffragan Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York,retired; PERFORMANCES BY: Stanley Banks, Grammy award-winning bassist for George Benson; Art Barron, jazz trombonist, formerly of the Duke Ellington band, who has performed with Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen and Tony Bennett; Michelle DellaFave, vocalist, who is a veteran of television, including a longtime run as a singer-dancer in the groups “The Golddiggers” and “The Dingaling Sisters” on The Dean Martin Show; Danny Kean, celebrated pianist, who has played with Stevie Cochran, Sam “Buzman” Taylor, and has performed at the Apollo Theater Ayodele Maakheru, guitarist and performer in Broadway orchestras, including Bring in da Noise/Bring in da Funk, The Full Monty, and The Wiz; Carol Maillard, director of Grammy-award winning a-capella group Sweet Honey in the Rock; Larry Marshall, veteran actor and Grammy award-winning singer featured in 15 Broadway productions, who recently starred as Joe in Waitress; Brocton Pierce, actor of television and film, whose credits include P.S. I Love You, Confessions, and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit; Rev Anne Sawyer Rector of SAINT MARKS CHURCH The St. Mark’s Choir, and more… For a complete list of performers, please contact Jeannine Otis or Jay Johnson at 212-674-6377 or email press@stmarksbowery.org WHEN: Friday, April 2, 2021, noon to 3:00 p.m. WHERE:    St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery, live via Zoom. To access the  virtual service go to stmarksbowery.org/goodfridayblues. ###

METAL CHAOS ENSEMBLE – Atomic Tuna

PEK SOLO – Elaborations

PEK SOLO / A QUARTET OF PEKS Schematic Abstractions for the Clarinet Family

For the pandemic, bandcamp has periodically offered to waive their fees to help artists in these dark times.  We pay a small percentage of each sale for the ability to sell downloads and albums from their excellent site.  This very fair system allows DYI artists, such as myself, a convenient and inexpensive platform for distributing music.  Anyway, it’s an excellent opportunity to support your favorite artists trying to get by while live performance is generally not an option…

Here are the links to bandcamp sites for Evil Clown

PEK Solo:  https://peksolo.bandcamp.com/music

Metal Chaos Ensemble:  https://metalchaosensemble.bandcamp.com/

Leap of Faith:  https://leapoffaith1.bandcamp.com/

Turbulence:  https://turbulence2.bandcamp.com/

So anyway, here are Darren’s words…

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METAL CHAOS ENSEMBLE – Atomic Tuna (Evil Clown 9262; USA) Unsure what an atomic tuna is (Fukushima fish?), but Dave PEK and his band of mercurial men sure do raise the temperature hereabouts to radioactive levels. Cursory round-up: PEK features his usual noggin-explodin’ assortment of noisemakers, from reeds of various makes and models, to percussives sculpted in colorful tinctures (log drum, xylophone, balafon, chimes, tibetan bells, temple blocks, etc.), and a mad scientist’s lab of analogic van der graafs. Fellow MCE members Mike Gruen and Yuri Zbitnov provide electric bass/signal processing and yet more percussive adornment respectfully, but the whole of everyone’s contributions are engulfed so completely in the ensuing morass it’s impossible to tell who does what. And that’s the beauty of it all. The digipak cover notes this latest MCE missive as the ‘power trio edition’—that descriptor doesn’t disappoint. Waxing and waning, bobbing to and tro, thrusting and parrying, Atomic Tuna is a masterful study in group/sound dynamics, where shapeshifting improv yields a bevy of miraculous gifts for the ear as the trio travels the spaceways. The surprises are fast and furious: roughly eight minutes in, a slinky groove of near-funkadelia escapes your woofers, followed by PEK’s elastic hornswaggle and blurts of tie-dyed moogfog that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Musica Elettronica Viva side. Those electronics arise with stealthy menace about half-way through the recording, augmented by the group’s steely interplay of woods, hand-held shakers, crotales, and, yes, metals, the wild abandon of the proceedings recalling nothing less than the 70s heyday of improv-era King Crimson. The Ensemble appear to have a never-ending supply of tricks up their sleeves; for all intents and purposes, even across an already voluminous catalog, this latest is one of their best yet. Pretty fearsome stuff. – Darren Bergstein

bandcamp: https://metalchaosensemble.bandcamp.com/album/atomic-tuna

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/tLxDuv3dodM

Evil Clown Album Page:  https://www.evilclown.rocks/mce-atomic-tuna.html

PEK SOLO – Elaborations (Evil Clown 9263; USA) Coming hot on the heels of the previous three-disc extravaganza Semantic Notions, Elaborations seems to have found Dave PEK taking something of a breather. Opening with a sharp crash of cascading bells, PEK appears to be ushering in some ancient ceremonial rite that only he is privy to. Indeed, there is a pensive, shamanic quality to this hour-plus travelogue that is one of the artist’s most introspective, meditative works yet. Snatches of silence are peppered throughout, as PEK coaxes the listener to enter various, tone-shifting dreamstates. Though ‘minimalism’ is hardly the word to describe anything Evil Clown thrusts upon the world, Elaborations certainly comes closest. PEK chooses his instruments and their placement in the stereofield carefully, almost gingerly; from those entrancing initial chimes to the foghorn sonorities of wood flutes, and goat horn, and onto his usual seancé-wrecking sax, PEK alternately fulminates and soothes, and it is that very unpredictability that maintains your attention and interest across this vast aural expanse. The oil-slick swirling mass on the CD cover ideally reflects his mutable processes; coupled with his indomitable spirit and ever-impressive command of more than a baker’s-dozen of instruments, the worlds PEK conjures never cease to amaze. Even more tellingly, the use of space across Elaborations, both figuratively and literally, gives this recording a sense of potency that shows yet another side of PEK’s singular vision, be it the ritualistic atmospheres burning like sonic incense or the Coltrane-ian flights of fancy that are practically his birthright. Vital, daring, uncompromising music

– Darren Bergstein

bandcamp: https://peksolo.bandcamp.com/album/elaborations

YouTube:  https://youtu.be/yz75JyTLAQY

Evil Clown Album Page:  https://www.evilclown.rocks/pek-solo-elaborations.html

PEK SOLO / A QUARTET OF PEKS Schematic Abstractions for the Clarinet Family (Evil Clown 9252, USA) Dave PEK is one of contemporary music’s most adept multi-instrumentalists. His facility on a legion of soundmakers, from his cherished saxophones, clarinets, and other horns, to a dizzying array of percussives and electronic modules, is nothing short of astonishing; compiling a cursory laundry list of his vast collection is not only a fool’s gesture but fails to grasp the enormity of an artistic discipline that allows it all to be utilized so inventively. On this, another of his ‘quartet’ outings where he keenly sifts, layers, and multitracks himself in the ultimate act of self-accompaniment, PEK applies the same rigor to a whole host of subsets from the clarinet family as he has with his similarly-themed saxophone exploits. The result? His battery of alto, piccolo, B-flat, alto, bass, contralto, etc. weave sinuous lines around each other like a cobra writhing before a snakecharmer. At moments, the various tones thrust and parry across carefully delineated battle lines, then PEK takes a ‘solo’ that finds him bending notes while folding space, counterbalanced by an ingenious use of periodically poised silences. The effect can be both hallucinatory and exhilarating, temporarily derailing the equilibrium as the notes overwhelm your inner ear canals with viral totality. It’s an imagistic swarm of moods, modes, and modulations, prickly clusters of bristling harmonics emerging in complex field densities that never coalesce the same way twice. Endlessly fascinating, surrendering completely to the immediacy of PEK’s mutating soundworld is the only way to bask in its glorious, submersive depths.

– Darren Bergstein, DMG

bandcamp: https://peksolo.bandcamp.com/album/schematic-abstractions-for-the-clarinet-family

YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHD44VVI1F0&t=208s

Evil Clown Album Page:  https://www.evilclown.rocks/pek-solo-schematic-abstractions.html

bandcamp: https://metalchaosensemble.bandcamp.com/album/atomic-tuna

“Bright Moments”  From The Dorthaan Kirk Opportunity Fund

Dear Friend of Jazz, On Friday, April 9 at 7PM ET you are invited to an Exclusive Private Screening of the documentary on the early days of WBGO: “The WBGO Story…Bright Moments from Newark to the World.”  Created by the award-winning producer Chris Daniel, this documentary is currently being shown in a number of New York/New Jersey area” film festivals and recently was declared “Best Documentary at the New Jersey Film Festival.  You can view a brief trailer here After viewing the documentary, you’ll will have an opportunity to meet the producer Chris Daniel, as well as speak to WBGO pioneers including Dorthaan Kirk, Bob Ottenhoff and Steve Robinson. To see this documentary, we are asking you to make a contribution of a minimum of $25 to the Dorthaan Kirk Opportunity Fund.  You can do that by going to this going to this link:   https://cfnj.org/dorthaan/  and making your contribution online or by check. Once we have confirmed your contribution, you’ll be sent a private link to this special showing April 9 at 7 PM. A word about the Dorthaan Kirk Opportunity Fund:  Dorthaan was instrumental in the formation of WBGO-FM, one of the most important Jazz radio stations in the world.  She has been producing jazz events for young and old for nearly 40 years; The New York Times called her “Newark’s First Lady of Jazz.” Before coming to WBGO, Dorthaan traveled the world with her late husband, the great Jazz musician, composer and band leader, Rahsaan Roland Kirk. In appreciation for all she has done for the world of jazz, several of her friends created The Dorthaan Kirk Opportunity Fund. The Fund is designed to provide opportunities for talented deserving youth that might unleash the spark that a young person needs to embark on a path to reach his or her full potential. Last year, the Fund provided scholarships to three young musicians: two associated with Jazz House Kids and another with Louis Armstrong Jazz Camp in New Orleans.  Administrative support is provided by the Community Foundation of New Jersey. http://cfnj.org/.   Contributions to the Fund are tax deductible under the full extent of the law. P.S. If you can’t attend this Exclusive Private Screening, we hope you will contribute anyway by going to this link:https://cfnj.org/dorthaan/ HONORARY CHAIRS The Honorable Ras J. Baraka, Mayor, City of Newark, NJ Nancy Cantor, ChancellorRutgers University-Newark Wynton Marsalis, Jazz Artist and Artistic Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center George Wein, Jazz Promoter and Producer HONORARY COMMITTEE Terri Lyne Carrington, jazz artist Regina Carter, jazz artist Geri Coles, community leader Paquito D’Rivera, jazz artist Tia Fuller, jazz artist Jackie Harris, Executive Director, Louis Armstrong Foundation Jimmy Heath, jazz artist Jeremy Johnson, Executive Director, Newark Arts Christian McBride, jazz artist Nell Painter, artist, author, and historian Dianne Reeves, jazz artist Rhoda Scott, jazz artist John Schreiber, President and CEO, NJPAC Janis Siegel, jazz artist Steve Turre, jazz artist Melissa Walker, jazz artist Cornell West, scholar and author Randy Weston, jazz artist ORGANIZING COMMITTEE Dr. Linda Caldwell Epps, consultant and nonprofit executive Rev. Bill Howard, minister, former college president, community and business leader Penny Joseph, retired business executive Dorthaan Kirk, honoree Bob Ottenhoff, founder of  WBGO and nonprofit executive Steve Robinson, public media executive Byron Yake, founder and executive director of Write on Sports

April Rules Day If I write here that spring has arrived I’m certain that it will start snowing… so I’ll refrain and just say that the light is different and the days are longer and I love being where the seasons change. Here’s the latest on musical things and life in the studio… This month’s free single is a solo piano version of “The Raven.” I sat down to write “The Raven” for my older son in 2016 as one of the constellation themed tracks on my Indesterren album. Corvus (the crow, or raven) has eleven stars and he was eleven at the time.  I was considering how watching a child become more self-reliant generates both real joy and real sadness, and the idea of a bird taking flight seemed to be the perfect concept to represent the wonder of a human finding himself. Since then I’ve played it live a number of times as a solo piano piece, and here I present that version. Just the piano, a parent, and a child flying away. “The Raven” is free and exclusively available on Bandcamp until May 1st.

That’s it from here… more music and news soon.  The synths come back in full force for the third chapter of the abendromen trilogy (callled The Distance) which is slated for May, and then the Brothers album (with Will Ackerman and Jeff Oster) is coming in July, and then other things (with guests!) are being cooked up.  Thanks, as always, for listening and sharing the music. t P.S.  Huck’s pick of the month is Birds by Bryan Scary.  Here’s what he says about it: Birds is the 4th full-length album from LA-based musician Bryan Scary, released in 2019 on his own Scaryville label. This record is a focused collection of tracks about, well, birds, and the environments in which they exist. You might think that the concept would get worn out quickly, but Scary’s excellent songwriting and falsetto vocals as well as the album’s lush instrumentation make every track a unique and interesting listen. The calm and pastoral vibes of many songs provide a nice backdrop to the overall theme, making the seemingly loose concept feel very focused. Taking from the sounds of XTC, Todd Rundgren, The Beatles, Queen, and other late 20th-century rock acts may seem overdone at this point in time, but Scary mixes his influences together very well here. One specific record I was reminded of while listening to Birds was XTC’s Skylarking (Produced by Todd Rundgren), both in concept and musical style. Each focuses on smaller stories in life and nature that become part of a greater whole, and the sound of Birds parallels mid-80s XTC numerous times. Overall, I think Bryan Scary does a great job at mixing tales of birds, nature, and life with the sound of 20th-century psychedelic/pop-rock, and I would definitely recommend giving it a listen.

For the 50th anniversary of “Ram” by Paul & Linda McCartney, over 100 musicians have come together to celebrate this much-loved seminal album. With Sir Paul McCartney’s blessing, they have re-recorded all of the “Ram” songs to create “RAM ON: The 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney’s RAM,” released on 14th May 2021 through Spirit of Unicorn Music (distributed by Cherry Red Records).

Hear a teaser of all tracks from “RAM ON” here: https://youtu.be/EhEU7Z7HPH0

It is a testament to the enduring love and affection for “Ram” that so many artists across three generations should want to be a part of this recreation of a classic album. The idea was born in 2020 from a discussion between producer/multi-instrumentalist Fernando Perdomo and Denny Seiwell, the original drummer with Paul McCartney & Wings, who performed on “Ram.” Original guitarist David Spinozza returns to reprise his parts on the album along with Marvin Stamm who played flugelhorn on “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey.” They are joined by their musical contemporaries Davey Johnstone (Elton John Band) and Will Lee (The Fab Faux).

A second generation of musicians includes Brian Wilson’s daughter Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips), Dan Rothchild (Heart, Sheryl Crow) Pat Sansone (Wilco), Joey Santiago (Pixies), Eric Dover (Jellyfish) and Durga McBroom (Pink Floyd, Blue Pearl).

The latest cohort of musicians with this love of “Ram” includes Dave Depper (Death Cab For Cutie), Lauren Leigh, Cindy Wassermann and Frank Drennan (Dead Rock West) and multi-instrumentalist Timmy Sean.

“RAM ON” includes warm and sensitive re-recordings of all the original tracks on “Ram” plus two non-album tracks from the “Ram” sessions: McCartney’s first single after his departure from The Beatles, “Another Day,” was a huge global hit in 1971 and the single’s B-side “Oh Woman Oh Why,” is also included. The tribute closes with a reprise of the opening track “Too Many People (Slight Return).”

“RAM ON” is produced by Fernando Perdomo and Denny Seiwell.

“From early on I wanted this to not be a typical tribute record,” says Fernando Perdomo. “Every musician on this record loves ‘Ram’ with all their heart and I think it shows. This record was made with pure love.”

“RAM ON” Track Listing:
01. Too Many People feat Dan Rothchild
02. 3 Legs feat The Dirty Diamond and Durga McBroom
03. Ram On feat Pat Sansone
04. Dear Boy feat Adrian Bourgeois
05. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey feat Bebopalula
06. Smile Away feat Timmy Sean
07. Heart of the Country feat Dan Rothchild
08. Monkberry Moon Delight feat Timmy Sean
09. Eat At Home feat Dead Rock West
10. Long Haired Lady feat Rob Bonfiglio and Carnie Wilson
11. Ram On Reprise feat Pat Sansone
12. Backseat of My Car feat Brentley Gore
13. Another Day feat Gordon Michaels
14. Oh Woman Oh Why feat Eric Dover and Lauren Leigh
15. Too Many People (Slight Return)

“RAM ON” is released in CD format on 14th May 2021 via Spirit of Unicorn Music. We’re also considering the release of a vinyl format later in the year, more details to follow.

You can pre-order the album here: https://geni.us/ramon50th

“Uncanny! ‘Ram On’ effortlessly captures the beauty, spirit and charm of Paul and Linda’s original. Wonderful!” – Paul Sinclair, Super Deluxe Edition.

About “Ram”
Recording sessions for “Ram” took place in New York and Los Angeles between October 1970 and March 1971. The principal musicians were Paul McCartney (vocals, bass, keyboards, guitars and ukulele on “Ram On”), Linda McCartney (harmony and backing vocals), Denny Seiwell (drums), David Spinozza (guitar), Hugh McCracken (guitar) with Marvin Stamm (flugelhorn on “Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey”).

“Ram” was released 17th May 1971. McCartney was hurt by the negative reception from the press, but the album was a huge commercial success and much-loved by fans around the world. In retrospect, the critics heaped praise upon the album at the time of its re-release in 2012 and fans continue to love the album to this day.

photo by Cyndi Trissel

About Fernando Perdomo
A powerhouse of the LA music scene Fernando Perdomo has made a name for himself as an in-demand producer, singer/songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. He is featured in the Netflix documentary “Echo In The Canyon” where he is seen backing up Brian Wilson, Norah Jones and Regina Spektor. He played on the official soundtrack album of the film along with Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Stephen Stills. Fernando owns and operates Reseda Ranch Studios in Los Angeles. He has produced hundreds of records and as a session guitarist and bassist, he has played with Emitt Rhodes, Todd Rundgren, Curved Air and many more.
https://www.fernandoperdomo.com/
Facebook – @Fernandoperdomomusic
Twitter – @fperdomo

About Denny Seiwell
Having played with New York’s jazz elite, Denny received an invitation from Paul McCartney to move to London and become a founding member of the post-Beatles phenomenon Wings. Denny toured with Wings and played on many of that era’s biggest hits, “My Love” and the Oscar nominated “Live And Let Die” along with McCartney’s “Ram,” “Wildlife” and “Red Rose Speedway” albums. Other highlights of Denny’s London years included work with Joe Cocker, Donovan, and The Who with the London Symphony Orchestra on their groundbreaking version of the Rock Opera “Tommy.” Denny’s signature drumming can be heard on records by Art Garfunkel, James Brown, Astrud Gilberto, Deniece Williams, Janis Joplin’s posthumous “Farewell Song” album and Billy Joel’s “Cold Spring Harbor.”
https://dennyseiwell.com/
Facebook – @denny.seiwell
Twitter – @dennystrio

RAM ON: The 50th Anniversary Tribute to Paul & Linda McCartney’s RAM
Release Date: 14th May 2021
Catalogue no. SOUM001CD

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, Billy James, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

New York, NY — Over the last quarter century, Long Island Singer/Songwriter Chris St. John has truly led a diverse and successful professional career in the field of law as a prosecutor, judge and practicing attorney.

Now, his dream of lateral success in the music business is starting to become a reality, as his LP, “I’m Dreaming,” is now available on www.chrisstjohn.com, Soundcloud and all the major services. His instantly satisfying first single from the record “I Called You Rose,” hit Number #3 on the Euro Indie Music Charts and #8 on the World Indie Music Charts – with a second tune “I’d Send You My Heart” – hitting the airwaves now.

The album includes 13 original songs plus a cover of “Peggy O’” and a musical score that connects two compositions. Chris St John’s music draws from multiple genres, utilizing an array of instruments. Each song leaves the listener intently waiting for the next surprise. St John cuts his own path though, making the music uniquely his own.

The topics include the loss of love at a young age; the loss of his parents; the birth of his son John (now 18) and life with his wife of 27 years Elisabeth; a surprise DNA discovery; a serious illness where he was put in a medically induced coma, and a nurse sang him back to life; the loss of a young relative in a car accident and the subsequent climb out of depression; alcohol addiction and recovery; and a gift from his grandmother that he intends to return to her someday.

Says Chris, “My professional career is what I do. These songs are who I am. They are about my personal life. The songs have been written over about 30 years, with four new ones written in the last several months to finish up the album.”

Chris also worked in the State Department, participating in the Reagan-Gorbachev Summit in 1987; and lived, studied, and taught in China later that year. He was also a Congressional Aide and is now a volunteer firefighter.

In 2015, he and his friend started a not-for-profit charity called HALO Missions, which provides medical care, clothing, food, farming equipment, and surgeries for AIDS orphans and the extreme poor throughout Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Chris remarks, “The title of the LP is ‘I’m Dreaming’ because some of these songs were dreamed in my sleep and written down when I awoke. Others came from daydreams. There are so many references to dreaming in the album. I guess I like to dream. People have told me I should write a book or make an album. This is both to me”.

To purchase Chris St. John’s “I’m Dreaming”: https://chrisstjohnmusic.com/product-category/music-and-merchandise/music/

For more information:
Official Website: www.chrisstjohn.com
Listen on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/chrisstjohnmusic
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCchfgkT0LnXFCJr76KlLJgA
Like on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chrisstjohnmusic

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, Billy James, PH: 1-828-350-8158 (US), glassonyonpr@gmail.com